Hamilton County GOP Scrambles to find a Replacement for Greg Hartmann

HamCo County commissioner Greg Hartmann has decided not to run for re-election.
Who should replace him?
I think the local GOP should think out of the box on this one.
Perhaps a doll that says random phrases when you pull the string on the doll's back. The RNC could come up with some of their stock catch phrases & answers. If it works, they can use the dolls for all sorts of elected offices.
The problem with this is that the dolls wouldn't be so good at fund raising. So maybe sexbots would be a better way to go. They can ~ahem~ provide favors for ~ahem~ donations.
Then, of course they could go supernatural. Perhaps Charlie Winburn could channel a dead goat. Charlie might not care for playing second fiddle to a rotting carcass, but with some cash, I think he'd be fine.
Another option would be shape shifting insectoid reptillian space aliens. So far this has been spectacular for Cincinnati with it's first shape shifting insectoid reptillian space alien mayor.
All in all, this could provide the GOP with a real shot in the arm and be a pivotal point in their race to the bottom.

Northside !

Wind & buses, aside, sunny Northside, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA, Earth, Milky Way 45223
Video by Half Moon Productions for Comey Shepherd

Cutting the Cable

As folks move away from the one size fits all cable TV model, the networks are delivering their content through their websites. That's great. They have different ways of doing it. Some make you wait a week to view online. Some let you view immediately but take down older shows. Some sites work OK with one browser but not with another. Fine, it's weird but I get it - we're still figuring it out. There's still advertising but, that's ok, the sponsors are the ones paying the bills.
BUTWhile most networks stream their content ok - Fox is about the worst, some of the advertisers are streaming from Mac IIs through a modem.
Witness the snippet of an ad that takes about 5 minutes to play - if it doesn't crash your browser of completely lose the connection. Watching a 1 hour show (that's less than an hour) can take up to an hour & forty five minutes with an ad like this playing at every commercial break. Ironically, it's the tech companies that are the worst. The candy companies ads are fine.
Fox gives you the option of watching one ad or just watch with regular ads throughout the show. Except that doesn't work - you still get the ads...
The ads on Fox & The CW (you can tell what we watch in the BiC breakroom) are the worst.
Thing is, this ruins the user experience and I'm guessing most people don't realize it's different companies streaming ads & shows. Unless they are doing this on purpose for the cable companies, they really need to set some standards on their advertisers.

Bond, James Bond

When I looked at an article about The Evolution of the Bond Girl, I realized I didn't recognize the majority of them and I pondered how long had it been since I saw a Bond movie.
For me, Sean Connery was James Bond.
But I don't think new Bonds was the turn off. No, I think the issue was that James Bond never evolved - pretty much the same thing with the Bond Girl...
While Jim might have dealt with some kinda Voodoo mumbo jumbo, he never dealt with a zombie apocalypse, he never dealt with killer robots like Ultron, he never dealt with subterranean insectoid space aliens, demon channeling occult masters, sexbots...
How can the character be sustained with such a stunted plot?

Fare Thee Well

Dia De los Muertos

BiC Endorsements

Issue  1 - yes
Issue  2 - no
Issue  3 - meh
Issue 22 - no
Issue 23 - yes
Issue 24 - meh
School Board - meh

Swingfield

Horses

There's currently a plot to get rid of horse drawn carriages in Cincinnati. A group calling itself Unbridled Freedom wants to ship these horses off to the slaughterhouse & their owners to the unemployment line. On their Change.org profile page they offer no information about their organization. Why so clandestine? Are they animal rights activists or just pet food manufacturers? A serious red flag.
Over on Charnel 12's Facebook page commenters say the horses look great, the horses look terrible, the horses are happy, the horses are sad, the horses are crazy, the horses slow down traffic, the horses breathe polluted air, the horses should run free in the wild, the horses should sit around on farms...
Charnel 12 article states that the horses & their living conditions are routinely inspected & have had no citations.
Here's the deal, these horses would likely die if they were turned loose on the plains. They would get dirty, have no health care and they would starve.
They would also get bored.
Horses are social animals. They like to interact with other mammals and they like having something to do. Furthermore the notion that the automobile should be a one size fits all transportation solution has led to more problems than it has solved.
We have used horses for millennia. We have bred them for greater size & strength. For the thousands of years we used horses & oxen on the roads, pretty much nobody died on the roads. With the introduction of the automobile, between 1900 & 1920 road fatalities in the US went from 50 to 11,000. Nowadaays we hover around 33,000 per year. There's also the lives lost drilling & fighting for oil.
You can also figure in thee costs of the roads, signage, policing, and healthcare costs due to breathing auto emissions. yup, humans breathe that stuff, too.
So, rather than ban the horses, I say let's expand their use. Both pulling carriages & single horseback riding. We could expand routes up Spring Grove Avenue to Northside & out on Eastern Avenue to Mt Lookout. Cars can use Central Parkway, I-75 & Columbia Parkway. Wee could have loops connecting the business districts of Hyde Park & Oakley.
FWIW, there are bridle paths in Mt Airy Forest.
The city should be a place to live - not a place to dodge wannabe race car drivers. We should add horses, camels, Segways, skateboards, rickshaws, bikes, buses & street rail to the mix. Cleaner air, a quieter town, healthier, safer people, lotsa fertilizer...
Don't support this recondite initiative - make horses part of the solution.

Potential Pumpkin Perturbation ?

Could last year's melee in Keene happen at the Circleville Pumpkin Festival ?
People have said the agitators in Keene were from out of town. Could it be a rival fall festival group? Should the Circleville Heat be on the lookout for angry Waynesvillians reeking of pickled cabbage ?
I'm steering clear...

101015

Every so often the stars align and, in one linear mile, everything collides for a dayfull of fun.
October 10th brings us the biennial Northside Porch Tour!. Meet at Jergens Park @ Hamilton & Bruce Avenues from 6 - 9. There will be food, music, a gazillion luminaries marking the path. You can walk it, bike it or shell out some cash to take a horse drawn carriage complete with a docent to explain what the heck you're looking at. Home owners along the route will be hanging out front so you can meet some of the fine Northside folks.
Saturday, October 10th is, of course also Northside Second Saturday. Shop, eat, drink, dance, sing, jump up & down... The possibilities are endless and, who knows? You might fall in love.
This edition of Northside Second Saturdays, walk the neighborhood and visit another new business, check out some art exhibits, find a Halloween costume, take advantage of some deals, listen to live music, have dinner with your pals, and whet your whistle! Please read the full event description to learn about participating business offerings:

- Arcade Legacy : Bar Edition - Check out Northside's newest bar and first arcade, featuring pinball, vintage consoles, and hot dogs too, 5pm-2:30am, 3929 Spring Grove Ave, 513.429.3180

- BERTKE ELECTRIC WAREHOUSE - PETOBERFEST, celebrating Adopt a Shelter Pet Month, featuring 100s of dogs, cats, puppies, and kittens available for adoption from local shelters and rescue groups. PET-oberfest is a cooperative effort where shelters and rescue groups come together in a free, fun, festival-like atmosphere to find homes for hundreds of animals during one exciting day, 10am-5pm, 1645 Blue Rock Street

- Bistro Grace - Enjoy one of the Chef Specials on the back patio, 4pm-11pm, 4034 Hamilton Avenue, 513.541.9600

- Blue Hell Studio - Blacksmithing classes happening all day! Folks are more than welcome to come by and watch, take a gander at the shop and the studio spaces available, or buy hand forged steel objects, 11am-12am, 1700 Blue Rock Street, 513.490.3723

- C & D Northside - Art exhibit featuring work by Luke Geddes, with an artist Meet n Greet 7pm-9pm; plus the weirdest karaoke in the city at 10pm with Weven Stalls; 1714 Hanfield Street, 513.541.9881

- Casablanca Vintage - Halloween shopping party, refreshments provided, 12pm-8pm, 3944 Spring Grove, 513.541.6999

- Chameleon - Art opening featuring work by Brandin Canida, 7pm, and Vinyl Night with Margaret Darling from The Seedy Seeds, 9pm-2am, 4114 Hamilton Avenue, 513.541.2073

- THE COMET - Now open for lunch at 2pm, plus Apple Street Market Meet N Greet at 5:30pm, plus Reggae Night with Queen City Imperial Soundsystem in the Comet basement, plus ALONE AT 3AM, DEATH & MEMPHIS, and A CITY ON FIRE on the main stage, 10pm; 4579 Hamilton Avenue, 513.541.8900

- Django Western Taco - Enjoy lunch or dinner with featured drinks & desserts, 11am-12am, 4046 Hamilton Avenue, 513.542.3664

- Future Life Now - Art opening for IMMERSION: a photography exhibit by Tina Gutierrez, celebrating the fluid ways we interact, dance, live, love and heal with water. Inspiration and photos from Global Water Dances; 6:30pm to 9pm with refreshments, 4138 Hamilton Avenue, 513.541.5720

- The Galaxie Skateshop - Galaxie of Ghouls art show, 6pm to 10pm, 4202 Hamilton Avenue, 513.542.3400

- Golden Tajine - Grab lunch, dinner or late night eats featuring Moroccan & Mediterranean fare, 11am-1:30am, 3938 Spring Grove Avenue, 513.546.1403

- Happen, Inc. - Open Studio for parents & children, 10am-5pm, 4201 Hamilton Avenue, 513.751.2345

- The Hoop & Needle - 25% OFF all Sublime Stitching accessories, ready to stitch pillows, totes and the entire line of embroidery transfers and floss, 12pm-6pm, 4019 Hamilton Avenue, 330.715.6064

- Joseph Clark Gallery/Arts of Africa - Featuring exceptional and unique art/artifacts from Africa, 2pm-8pm, 4038 Hamilton Avenue, 513.351.8111

- The Listing Loon - Wine tasting featuring 5 wines for $12, 6pm-9pm, then Mohenjo Daro 20th Anniversary CD Release Party 9pm, 4124 Hamilton Avenue, 513.542.5666

- The Littlefield - Featured drink special called "Don't Be A Ghoul (Follow The Golden Rule)" that benefits the GLSEN Greater Cincinnati; 2pm-2am, 3934 Spring Grove Avenue, 513.386.7570

- Northside Tavern - Open at 4pm with Happy Hour 5pm-9pm; Musician in the Spotlight with Soul Street, in the front room at 7pm; 4163 Hamilton Avenue, 513.542.3603

- Northside Yacht Club - Live music from TWIN PEAKS (Chicago) and WHITE REAPER (Louisville), 9pm, 4227 Spring Grove Avenue, 513.541.0528

- NVISION - 20% OFF all coats & jackets, plus be sure to check out the current art exhibit, Inhabitants of Lore, featuring limited edition original poster designs and felted wool sculpture by Joe Castrucci, Noon-9pm, 4577 Hamilton Avenue, 513.542.4577

- Ruth's Parkside Cafe - Stop in to see the current art exhibit by Jo Ann Berger & Merle Rosen, and mention Second Saturday and get one of their special cocktails for $5, 5pm-10pm, 1550 Blue Rock Street, 513.542.7884

- Sidewinder Coffee - Art Reception for the current exhibit, Paintings by Holly Price, with wine & snacks, 2pm-5pm, 4181 Hamilton Avenue, 513.542.8321

- SPUN Bicycles - 10% OFF accessories with the purchase of a new bike, 10% OFF all race jerseys, and 10% OFF lights, 10am-5pm, 4122 Hamilton Avenue, 513.541.7786

- Tickle Pickle Northside - Check out Northside's newest restaurant, now serving from the walk-up window in the back of the building (while the dining room is under construction) and order from their menu featuring organic burgers, vegan burgers, handmade milkshakes and more, 11am-12am, 4176 Hamilton Avenue, 513.954.4003

- Tillies Lounge - Live music from Jess Lamb, 9pm, and Happy Hour drink prices 4pm-8pm, 4042 Hamilton Avenue, 513.541.1414

- Urban Artifact - Stein Beer Brew Day all afternoon in the courtyard (brewing a beer using hot rocks from the campfire), including a DJ outside, pumpkin decorating, snacks, etc, starting at 1pm; live music in the evening from Charles Walker Band GHETTO PROPHET starting at 9pm, 1660 Blue Rock, 513.978.1956

- VISIONARIES & VOICES - Gallery Talk to compliment the current exhibition, Stories + Beauty in The Grove featuring work inspired by the art, architecture, history and landscape of Spring Grove Cemetery and Arboretum. Artists teamed with Phil Nuxhall, Spring Grove Historian to learn about the grounds, visiting a number of times to work from observation. This research culminates in an unprecedented presentation of media, including large and small-scale video. The gallery talk will be an informal discussion between Exhibitions Director Krista Gregory, and Spring Grove historian Phil Nuxhall, as well as participating artists, 6:30pm, 3841 Spring Grove Avenue, 513.861.4333

- WORDPLAY CINCY - Know a teen who can use a positive, upbeat community to explore poetry, creative self-expression, and performance? Check out the Scribes workshop, open to all teenagers ages 13+, led by WordPlay's artist-in-residence, Desirae Hosley, who is a seasoned spoken word artist and poet, working magic with kids who want to dive into the beautiful world of rhyme and rhythm. Students do not have to perform in this workshop, they can hone their creative skills in this safe, supportive environment of peer writers and poets, Noon-2pm, 4041 Hamilton Avenue, 513.541.0930

But, hey! You don't have to wait till 6...
There is a Pumpkin Patch Fall Festival at the College Hill Town Hall from 10 - 2.
There will be a hands on fencing demonstration at College Hill Presbo. For a measly $5 you can hang with Olympic fencing masters from noon to 2.
It doesn't get any better than that!
I'm assuming your horse knows the way.

Happy Birthday, Frank

October 6, 1555 Ferenc Nadasdy was born.
Who?
Dude was from one of the wealthiest families in Hungary & he married Erzsebet Bathory at 16. He fought the Ottomans and the Black Knight of Hungary Hungarian was made military commander in 1578. As part of his military strategy he borrowed a trick from Vlad Tepes & took to impaling his Turkish prisoners.
In WWI the Hungarian calvalry was still called The Nadasdy Hussars.

Cincinnati Parks

More circuses from John Cranley who shows off his alien insectoid reptilian athletic prowess in this new ad promoting the denuding & paving of the Cincinnati park system.
What's interesting is the sell off of a ball field named after a heroic police officer to make way for a parking lot.
There's no doubt that, if given the opportunity, Cranley would gladly sell off more park property to his cronies.

Happy 25, Germany

Today, October 3rd marks the 25th anniversary of German reunification.
After over 40 years of commies screwing over East Germany & Ronald Reagan single handedly tearing down the Berlin Wall, Germany was reunited and is now a leader in Europe.

Northside - A Different Direction

Be sure to visit Northside on October 10th for Second Saturday & the biennial neighborhood porch tour.

A Revolution Without General Copulation ?

The manufacturers of this emobot, Pepper (shouldn't it be Salt? Sugar?) have stipulated that owners absolutely cannot have sex with it. First of all, can it have sex? and second, why would you want to have sex with the goofy looking thing?
Granted the lady in the picture snuggling with this gizmo & has avoided the lure of tobacco, so OK, great, but the excitement of the techno revolution just seems to fizzle...
Can we, at least, watch the robots have sex with each other?

Parks & Recreation

Maybe this will make it to Newsmakers

Campaign Against Sex Robots

So some group in merry olde is campaigning against sex robots.
Here's why:

"I propose that extending relations of prostitution into machines is neither ethical, nor is it safe,” the paper read. “If anything the development of sex robots will further reinforce relations of power that do not recognise both parties as human subjects."

It's because they are human?
People are strange...

Why

A pet peeve of mine is people doing things for the wrong reason. Think A Clockwork Orange.
A number of organizations have spoken their opposition to Issue 3 - the bill that would legalize marijuana in Ohio.
Children's Hospital in Cincinnati is opposed because they fear people doping unsuspecting children with pot laced candy. Even at Halloween, tainted candy is almost non existent.
The Ohio Chamber of Commerce, Commercial Builders & the FOP complain of people coming into work stoned. They whine about drug testing.
DO THEY HAVE THE SAME ISSUES WITH ALCOHOL?
Give it a break. If a worker isn't doing his job, is incapable of doing his job, deal with him. Get a drug test to see if he is impaired. heck, he might just be having a stroke.
There are legitimate reasons to oppose Issue 3 and BiC does oppose the issue but the reasons these control freaks have are not the right ones.

Read all about it
here
here
here
here

The Thangs - Skull Motel Party

30 years ago today - goofiness with Cincinnati's own, The Thangs.